Complicated
by Breaking Barriers
Summary: It sucks when you like your best friend, but she likes the guy that her sister also likes and yet he might not like her sister but at the same time they're dating or they're not but then… yeah, life sucks.
1. Prologue: How I Met Her

Everyone tells me I'm a genius. Ever since I was little, I was smarter than the other kids. I could build the tallest towers from building blocks, I could write the alphabet without messing up. I was the best at everything, no matter where I went. My intelligence only increased with age, and I was able to do high school course work in my first year of middle school.

When I was a child, my intelligence never hampered my ability to make friends, but as people became aware of my superior intelligence, they started ostracizing me. Even the teachers didn't know what to say think, I was smarter than them, and everyone knew it. They probably felt threatened by my superior intellect, so they just ignored me. So, obviously, I didn't have any friends after second and third grade. Without friends, there was no point to joining any sports teams or school clubs.

To amuse myself during my free time after school, I would take apart my household equipment and put them back together, just for fun. Many times, I'd use fuses and battery packs from old toys to modify the device. My watch has a tracking system, my Swiss army knife can turn on my laptop, and I can take the cap off of my pen and use it as a flashlight.

When I first started, it was more like a hobby; something to do when I was finished with my studies. But, once I started high school, it was the only thing that kept me going. My days became clockwork; I'd go to school, do all my homework during class, and once school let out, I'd go home, lock myself in my room and work until midnight. Every day, Monday through Friday, for two whole years. I guess my parents just thought I was studying, and my grades were still the top in my class, so they didn't ask any questions. On weekends, I wouldn't ever leave my room. There was nowhere to go.

Not like I wanted to be with my "family" anyway. My father is a movie star. Some kids my age may find that cool, but it's what I hate about him. Not only is he an incredibly successful movie star, but he's popular too. He attends all the fancy parties that the higher-ups organize, he's always on television, either to promote his newest movie or to have a live interview. Honestly, the way he lives a double life sickens me. On stage, he's charismatic, popular, proud, and a generally strong guy, but at home, he's just pathetic. He's always trying to buy my respect with things like laptops and phones, which I quickly and outright ignore. You might say I'm being rude or disrespectful, but I honestly don't care. Of course, because of his work, he's almost never at home, but the worst, most disgusting part about him, is not the way he leads a double life, but rather, it's how I'm expected to grow up to be like him.

Hell no.

Everywhere I go, nobody can see me for the genius I am. Instead, they see me as _his_ son. Although they try and hide it, I know that behind their smiling faces, they're all wondering how such a popular and successful actor has such a sullen and introvert son. It's like I'm some kind of award. A consolation prize. Some teachers have even given me extra credit, not that I needed it, just because they knew who my father was.

It's despicable.

This is why, even if I wanted them, I wouldn't be able to make friends. Once they hear my last name, everyone would start floundering toward me, trying to get on my good side. They all just want the privilege to say that they have connections with the Hikari family. Many girls have actually tried becoming my girlfriend, just so they could meet my father. Of course, it never worked. A simple minded creature can only think of simple minded plans, and their fake smiles were transparent when viewed through skeptical eyes. This is why I hate my father. He's the reason I can never lead a normal life. I'm constantly judged and compared to _him_, when I'd rather die that follow his footsteps.

My mother isn't around anymore. I'm not saying she's dead or anything, it's just that she's gone for a while. About seven months ago, she got the opportunity to follow her dreams of becoming a doctor, so she took a plane to Radiant Garden, to learn from a prestigious medical school. She'll be coming back next year, which I guess is a comfort, but we were never close to begin with.

The only person I can stand is my sister, Xion. She's pretty tomboyish, at least compared to any other girls I've ever known. She can beat any guy in a fight, she never backs out of a challenge, and she's too headstrong and stubborn for her own good. This is all a result of something that happened a while back, but I can go over that later. She's kind of in the same boat as I am. Everyone expects her to be polite and elegant as the daughter in the Hikari family, but she goes and ditches the parties to watch movies or play at the arcade. We're similar in that way, but she takes it less offensively. I guess it comes with being a year older than me, or maybe she just stopped caring all together.

I wish I could do the same.

**xxCOMPLICATEDxx**

About two weeks before the new school year started, my dad got an important business call. Apparently, his agent had got him signed up for a project that everyone had been anticipating to be the next big hit. Something about a book to film adaptation that would make millions. Of course, my dad took the offer, but the only problem was, the set was pretty far away. So, we had to pack our bags and move to the Radiant Heights, the place where all the rich people live, which was a few million miles from our current home. Exaggerations aside, my sister and I had to move schools. I didn't care, since a new school just meant a new group of students to ignore and another batch of tests to ace. On the other hand, my sister was the opposite of me. She had a large group of friends. She had a pretty good chance of becoming the student council president. She had so much time and energy invested into that school, but it was all for nothing. She was opposed to the idea of moving at first, for obvious reasons, but she gave up on protesting, seeing as there was no point.

The house we moved to cannot be called a house. It was practically a mansion. Maybe even a villa. Any waves of depression Xion was feeling were swiftly blown away by a tsunami of euphoric glee as she rampaged around our new abode. Even father felt a bit overwhelmed, seeing as how we were previously living in a big apartment. We started unpacking, although we didn't bring much. The agency promised that they would pay for the necessities, and that we should only bring things of personal value. Xion had two luggage bags filled with her things, while I put all my inventions inside a cardboard box with a 'FRAGILE' sticker on the sides. The inside of the house was larger than the outside. It had three floors, not including the attic or the basement. Also, according to the agency, a forty inch plasma screen television hooked up to a plethora of electronic games, video recorders, and DVD players, was a necessity. The best thing about this new house, was that I practically got a whole floor to myself. We still had to share bathrooms, but I repurposed the guest room as my workshop. At my old room, my 'workshop' was just my study desk, where no studying actually took place. It wasn't actually that bad of an arrangement, and everyone else seemed to think the same way.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before school started.

Because of my dad's connections, both Xion and I were transferred to a private school, conveniently located one bus ride away from home. This was my first time ever riding a public bus, since I'd never had any reason to do so. It's a bit embarrassing to have your sister teach you how the transit system works when you're sixteen, but I took it in stride. Eventually, the first day of school was just around the corner, and both Xion and I took different approaches to screwing the pooch. I came to school wearing my normal attire, a black unlabeled shirt under a leather jacket, with a matching paper-boy hat covering my spiky brunette hair. Doing this was a problem, since the school enforces a uniform code, but the peach colored blazer was so hideous I burned it so they wouldn't be able to make me change. Of course, it doesn't seem like it mattered, however, since the lady at the front desk didn't even give me a second glance. Probably saw my last name and didn't wanna get on my dad's bad side. My sister, on the other hand came to her first class twenty five minutes late, with bed hair, a piece of half-eaten toast in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She's a year above me, so I don't know the exact details, but this rumor is probably true. Xion's not exactly a morning person, which is another reason she's an opposite of myself, since I came to class twenty minutes early.

According to her, when her last name was called in roll call, it wasn't really that big of a deal.

My first week of school can be accurately summarized by this one conversation with a few random girls.

"_Hey… you're Hikari… right?" One of them asked me hesitantly._

"_Yeah. I am."_

"_Oh! Um… do you wanna hang out with me and my friends?" She asks, as her friends nod and smile with her._

"_What's my name?" I ask her._

"_W-What? You're Hikari. You said it yourself!" She seems perplexed._

"_No. My first name."_

"_Um… y-your first name?" I nod in response, waiting for her answer._

…

…

_Gotcha._

"_That's what I thought." I pick up my bag, sling it over my shoulder, and I walk away._

One would believe that such a simple question would be easy to answer, but no one can look past the Hikari name. It's one of the worst feelings in the world to find out that someone you were close to only did so because of your cool dad. That's why I made sure to ask that question to anyone who tried to get close to me. And you know what?

Nobody knew my name.

**xxCOMPLICATEDxx**

One month into the school year, I had no friends, and most people were too ashamed or too scared to approach me after I pointed out they knew fuck all about me. It was the day of the beginnings test, which was a foreign concept to me. According to my homeroom teacher, they make the students take a test in the first month of school, then another one in the last month of school to see if you've improved or not. It's meant to spur on motivation to do better each time, which is why they post your scores on the school bulletin board, despite how badly you do.

As expected, the test was easy for me. The questions ranged from easy algebra problems to more difficult physics equations. I breezed through it in the first five minutes of class, and spent the rest of the hour doing homework and sleeping.

An uneventful week passed by, when finally, the test scores were up for everyone to view. The announcement was made through the school intercom, so the teacher excused us from class a few minutes early to check them out. Everyone left the room quickly, obviously anxious about their grades, but I wasn't. I wasn't being disingenuous when I called myself a genius. I took my time putting my books away before finally walking to the main lobby. A crowd of students from different grades were crowded around the board, but I was able to get through to find the junior's sheet. On the way to the front, I could feel the gazes of all my classmates, though it wasn't something that I wasn't prepared for. I knew the feeling too well. Once I got to the front of the crowd, the contents of the paper didn't surprise me.

_**1. Hikari, S – 100/100**_

**xxCOMPLICATEDxx**

The next day proceeded a bit differently from the previous days. The amount of people whispering and gossiping about me increased. Some rumors about how my father had bribed the school or how I had cheated somehow. The amount of girls that would come up to talk to me increased as well, but the way I ignored them remained the same. During the afternoon classes, I could feel someone's glares burning into the back of my head, but I couldn't figure out who. The ending bell rang like any other day, everyone left in a hurry like always, but something was different.

I wasn't the only one left in the room.

_Tap Tap Tap Tap_

I could hear someone's footsteps grow louder as they approached me. I assumed they were leaving, so I grabbed my water. Closing my eyes to take a drink, I stood up, put the bottle down, and opened my eyes.

…

A girl, about as tall as me, glaring at me. Her face was only a few inches away from my own, and I could feel her breath on my face.

"Um… can I help yo-" I began to ask, considering that this was a bit of an awkward situation, but she interrupts me.

"Are you Hikari?" She asks me, but it doesn't sound like a question. More like a command.

"Yeah. So what?" Apparently happy with my answer, she backs up a few feet.

"That's good." She says quietly, nodding her head to herself, before suddenly pointing at me with her finger. "From now on, you're my rival!" She yells, determination in her eyes.

…

"I'm sorry. What?" What the hell is wrong with this girl?

"You heard me, _Hikari_." She pronounces my name the same way I pronounce the word 'tapeworm'. "You may have beaten me this time, but I'll get you next time!"

"I don't even know who you are." I tell her bluntly. She obviously believes she's more important than she actually is.

"Hmph. I'm Kairi Uchida! The top student in this school!" Her confident stare wavers a bit, "Well, I was, until _you_ showed up!" You've gotta be kidding me. She's doing this because I did the best in the exam.

"So, you're jealous." Her face flares up, rosy cheeks easily visible.

"A-Ah, no way! You only won because you cheated! Or it was just a fluke! Or, or, SOMETHING!" She starts shaking her head, making her long red hear flail all over her face. "Ugh! Stop confusing me! Anyway, I'm challenging you to next week's physics test!"

This girl is crazy.

"Whatever." Saying that, I try leaving, but she blocks the doorway with her arms.

"Oh no you don't! You're not leaving until you accept my challenge!"

"I'll accept your challenge on one condition." I tell her.

"Oh yeah? What is it?"

Playing right into my hands.

"_What's my first name?"_

Kairi's hard glare switches into a soft smile immediately.

…

"_It's Sora."_

…

I couldn't help but stare at her, I don't know why I did. After a few seconds, she averted her gaze, looking to the side.

"S-Stop staring at me! That's your name, right?" She stutters out, her cheeks coated with a light blush.

"Tch. Fine. I accept your challenge." Satisfied with my words, she stands to the side, letting me through. As I walk down the hallway, I can hear her yell behind me.

"Don't forget! Next week's physics test!"

In the main lobby, I check the junior's exam sheet once again. Sure enough, beneath my name.

_**1. Hikari, S – 100/100**_

_**2. Uchida, K – 99/100**_

Hmmm…

Kairi Uchida.

How interesting.

I can't help but laugh out loud, it's just that this situation could not get any weirder.

The first girl this year who knows my name is the one who's declared war on me.

Well, at least this year will be interesting.

Of course, I have no intention of letting her win.

Kairi Uchida…

_Bring it on._


	2. Who are you, Roxas?

Three weeks ago, I met her.

I didn't know who she was or why she approached me.

I didn't know that she would keep approaching me every day since then.

Constantly trying to beat me.

Constantly trying to prove something.

But she never could.

For three weeks, she constantly pestered me, and she always left disappointed.

Yet her constant losses only fed her desire to win.

I was caught in a vicious cycle.

In fact, I'm still caught in its never ending wave.

As I sit here, I can't see an end to this in sight.

In fact, it's almost become clockwork.

She should be approaching me in about five seconds.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

"Sora!"

Right on time.

"Here." Without looking back at her, I reach into my bag to hand her my test. Yesterday, we had a calculus test, and the teacher just handed the results out. Math is my best subject, so I already know I've won, but I let her examine it anyway. With a dejected sigh, she tosses my paper back onto my desk.

"Seriously? A perfect score? This test had like… seventy questions!" She cries out, holding her head in her hands. Honestly, she shouldn't be surprised at this point. Every day, when the test results are handed out, she comes for me. And every time she does, she acts all surprised that she's lost. I mean, lower your expectations, woman!

Anyway, it's lunch time, so I'm not really in the mood to be harassed.

"Well, if you're done, I'll be leaving." I get up and start leaving, but she follows me and grabs my wrist.

"Hold on a second!" She looks pensive, like she wants to ask me something.

"What is it? You need something from me?" Her face instantly burns up, frantically shaking her head.

"N-No! I mean… why would I e-ever need you! I mean, ugh!" Letting go of my wrist, she pushes me aside and stomps down the hall.

What the hell was that about?

I was clearly on the mark. There's something she needs my help for, and she's too ashamed to ask for it. Well, I'm not gonna approach her, I'll let her do tha-

What the hell?

Vibrations from my pocket cut off my thoughts. I reach into my coat pocket to pull out my phone. Flipping it open, I can see a small message from Xion.

_From Xion Hikari_

_Yo, Sor. After school, wait at the vending machines for me. Let's walk hom 2gether._

This is strange. Back in our old school, Xion always walked home with her friends. We only walked together when something important was happening. Closing my phone, I slip it back into my pocket. There are still a few people hanging out in the room, talking with friends or packing up for lunch. Since I'm already up, I might as well eat lunch as well. On normal circumstances, I don't eat lunch. I try my best to eat a healthy and filling breakfast, so I'm never really hungry during school. Whenever I am hungry, I normally just sneak out to a convenience store, since I've developed a habit of avoiding public cafeterias ever since middle school. But honestly, I don't remember why I have such a hatred for them. I guess I'll switch it up and head there.

**XxCOMPLICATEDxX**

I remember now.

I hate cafeterias because they're the second most claustrophobic areas you could possibly be in, beaten only by elevators. Seriously, this is just dumb. A sea of ugly blazers and blue miniskirts is in between me and the place where you get food. Such an arduous task for something so simple.

As I start walking to get in line, the crowd starts parting to accompany me. By simply walking forward, I get to the front of the line. Huh, I guess being a Hikari does have some perks. Picking out a simple ham and cheese sandwich, I hand the lunch lady a five hundred munny note. Smiling, she hands me my lunch packed in a simple plastic bag. Thanking her, I escape the cluttered room.

Where should I eat? I mean, there's no way I'm gonna eat in the cafeteria. With all those students concentrated into one room, I wouldn't be able to finish my lunch due to all the interruptions. And that's assuming that no psycho steals my sandwich and tries to sell it online. Honestly, it wouldn't be the first time.

My legs start going on auto pilot, and I end up in front of my classroom. Well, I guess this is the best place. It's quiet, nobody's in there, and I probably won't be disturbed. Gripping the door's handle, I fling the door open.

Huh.

What the hell is she doing here?

All the way in the back of the room sits Kairi, perched over a few papers. Despite my overly dramatic entrance, she doesn't seem to notice me. I walk to the back of the class, yet she doesn't notice my footsteps. I sit down next to her, but she has no reaction. I open my bag loudly, but she simply starts writing something down. I make loud obnoxious chewing sounds, but she makes no efforts to shut me up.

What the hell is wrong with her?

"Hey! Earth to Kairi. You there?" My words wake her up from her trance, as she quickly shifts her head to find me. Once she does see me, her face is a mix of annoyance and fear. She quickly covers her papers with her arms.

"O-Oh… hey there, Sora" She greets awkwardly, "Sh-Shouldn't you be eating lunch? Like, not here?" she's definitely trying to get rid of me, so she can work on whatever it is she's doing with those papers.

"Eh, the cafeteria's too crowded. What are you working on?" She immediately shoves her papers into her open bag.

"N-Nothing! Nothing at all! I mean, it doesn't have anything to do with you so you don't have to worry about it, see?" She laughs nervously, although I'm not exactly sure whether I should press the topic or not. Seeing how her flimsy lie hasn't worked, she simply runs away, hauling her open bag behind her. I'm about to warn her that her things may fall out, but she's already out of the room.

"Well… that was weird." I'm about to take another bite of my sandwich when I notice a paper lying on the ground. It's probably from Kairi's open bag.

Well, if she won't tell me what she's doing, I guess I'll just have to find out for myself.

Picking the crumpled paper up, I examine its contents.

…

…

What the hell?

I don't know what to make of this.

It's a set of various school assignments and problems from several classes. There are a few physics equations and a calculus paper stapled to the very bottom of the paper. Of course, the reason this is strange is because Kairi doesn't need anything like this. These assignments are way too simple for someone of our intellect. It's something for the C class or perhaps the D class. That's how this school system works. They don't believe in the "Leave no retard behind" policy. The A class is the top class, the one that Kairi and I are part of. Each grade has classes A through D, and you get transferred between them depending on how well you do in school. These problems are ones I can solve in my sleep, and I'm sure Kairi is no different. Why does she have this? I mean, these aren't from the school. These are handwritten. Why would Kairi make notes for something so simple? And the most confusing thing about this entire thing, is the line on the very top.

_For Roxas_

Roxas.

Roxas.

Roxas.

Okay, I don't know who this Roxas person is. But since this paper is titled, 'For Roxas', I guess it's for him. Why is Kairi making handwritten study guides for this 'Roxas' guy? I assume that this is one of many papers for Roxas.

…

Okay, now this has got me interested.

Who is Roxas?

Why is Kairi making notes for him?

…

Well, there's no time like the present.

Eating the last piece of my startlingly delicious lunch, I take my phone out. Searching through my contacts, I choose the only name in the 'P' section.

…

…

"Hello?" His confused greeting sounds a bit fuzzy and static.

"Yo, Pence. It's Sora." I greet him in our normal fashion. He laughs lightly once he hears my name.

"Haha, Sora? How've you been? This school's been boring without you." I can only imagine. "So, what's up?"

"I need info on someone in my new school."

"Whoa, it's been a while since I've had to search someone! I really have missed you!" He laughs again, "Got it. What's the name?"

"Roxas."

"Last name?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm… that makes things a bit harder. How about his age?"

"Nope."

"Grade?"

"No idea."

"Ugh… you know you're making this pretty hard for me." He grumbles, but it's a light hearted one. He's not actually mad, I can tell.

"I thought you enjoyed a challenge." He laughs loudly.

"Haha! You're right, Sora. God, it's been too long since I've had to do something like this. So, is there anything else you know about him?"

"Um... check the lower classes. He's probably in C or D."

"Got it. Just let me boot up my laptop."

Well, you're probably confused, so I'll fill you in while I'm waiting. This is Pence, one of my only friends. He's smart, but not my kind of smart. He's computer smart. He can hack into pretty much any computer and he's my main source of information. He's got easy access to the educational database of Destiny Islands, and whenever I need to know something, he's the guy to talk to. Some people find him shady, and although his hobbies may be a bit questionable, he's a good person. We met two years ago, I caught him trying to change his grades by hacking into the school's database from his laptop. Of course, he started begging me not to tell anyone. I felt sorry for the guy, and I could kinda tell that he wasn't a bad guy. So I offered him my services as a tutor if he wouldn't cheat. Ever since that day, I've come to him whenever I need help with my gadgets or when I'm in need of a special favor, like this. Honestly, Pence is probably one of the only things I miss from my old school. Something about his carefree attitude along with his technological knowledge makes him a fun person to be around.

"Well, it was a bit difficult, but I've got some info on your guy."

"Thanks Pence. What'cha got?"

"Well, first off, his name is Roxas Nomura. He's a junior, like you, except he's in class D. According to his permanent record, he's what you'd call a delinquent. He's been absent from class about thirty times so far, his grades are pretty bad, C minuses to D minuses across the board." The things Pence can dig up from just a name is a bit scary. Although it's useful, it still doesn't tell me why Kairi would be interested in Roxas. In fact, it's giving me more questions than answers. Why is Kairi making a study guide for a class-ditching delinquent?

"I need some specifics, Pence. Is there any reason that he'd be approached by… another student?"

"Uh… let me check…" A long pause ensues as Pence tries to connect my vague assertion to Roxas's profile.

"Well, according to this file, Roxas is dangerously close to being kicked out of school. About a week ago, Roxas failed another test, dropping his GPA below a solid two. Roxas had to participate in a meeting with the school president and the councilor to discuss how to deal with him. They came to a decision a day later, where they assigned class A's representative, Kairi Uchida, to tutor Roxas." Well, that's the jackpot. "Although, I don't think it's really working well. His grades are still floating around the D minus area, despite the tutoring."

"Thanks man, you've given me exactly what I've been looking for. I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it, man. It's been a while since I've had to hack something." He laughs, "You know, we should meet up. I've actually made some friends this year, and they won't believe that I'm friends with a Hikari." Another laugh, "I mean, not that I'm trying to use you like a trophy or anything." I can practically feel the guilt and nervousness dripping from his last sentence. You see, back in our old school, Pence was a loner, just like me. Because of his shady aura and his… well rounded figure, nobody approached him. He couldn't make any friends, he was the weird one. This is a shame, since he's a generally fun person to be around. I was his first real friend in high school, so it's great to hear that he's got some friends.

"Don't worry about it. I'll try to open up my schedule for you. See ya." With that, I flip my phone shut.

…

…

Sigh.

Although it's good that he's grown his social roots, I can't help but feel a bit jealous. I haven't had the same luxury as him. Although, now's not the time to be thinking of that, I've gotta figure this mystery out. These are the facts:

I have a paper, from Kairi's bag, with handwritten school problems with the title, 'For Roxas'.

According to Pence's data, Roxas is a failing student, and was assigned a tutor by the name of, Kairi Uchida.

So it's safe to assume that the papers that Kairi was writing and hiding from me are notes she's preparing for Roxas Nomura.

But there's one missing link.

Why was she hiding them from me?

There are two reasons I can think of so far.

She's either ashamed to have to associate herself with a failing delinquent, or she's afraid I'll find out and replace her as a tutor, since I'm the new number one.

Unfortunately, both of these theories have holes.

For the first one, I really doubt that Kairi's the type of person to unassociate herself with anyone. She wouldn't just let Roxas lag behind and flunk out. Knowing her, she'd probably bolt him into his chair during class time if she has to.

As for the second theory, it doesn't matter if I'm the best in class A or the worst. This tutoring assignment was sentenced for the class representative. Since she knows that, I really doubt she'd be afraid of me stealing her spotlight, since I can't. I'm not the class rep, nor do I want to be.

…

Argh!

This is frustrating!

Come on brain! What happened to the genius, Sora Hikari!

I should be able to think this one out!

It could be that Kairi doesn't want me to know that she's tutoring Roxas, since it's obviously not working…

But wait, that doesn't work, since, as far as she knows, I don't know who Roxas is and I don't know her connection to him.

…

Wait.

Maybe…

It's possible… and I wouldn't put it past Kairi's stubborn attitude…

The more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

Well, it's the best bet I've got.

I'm pretty sure I'm right, but I can't be sure until Kairi approaches me.

This morning, she was trying to tell me something, but she was too ashamed to do so.

If that is a byproduct of her failed tutoring, then that would mean…

**She's ashamed.**

She knows she won't be able to do this by herself, so she was trying to ask me to help with tutoring Roxas.

Of course, asking me for help is like admitting defeat, which is probably number one on the list of things she'll never do.

But she knows that she has to ask for help, because if her tutoring doesn't help Roxas, it'll look bad for her.

She wouldn't ask someone other than me, since everyone else is, let's be honest here, dumber than her.

So her only option is to admit that I'm better and to ask me for help.

She has to ruin her reputation as the class rep or swallow her pride and admit that I'm better than her.

…

Holy shit, that's funny.

This is a textbook example of "caught between a rock and a hard place".

Well, even though I know what her problem is, I'm not gonna save her the trouble.

If she wants to save her reputation, she's going to have to swallow her pride and ask me directly.

Nobody's going to save her, especially not me.

I place the study paper back into her desk, as if I had never seen it, and I return to my seat. There are five minutes left until class starts, and I can hardly wait.

Kairi Uchida…

_Whatever will you do?_

**I don't really get that many reviews, so I should probably make a habit out of using private messages to reply. I hear that's what you're supposed to do.**

**Anyway, onto this chapter.**

**Bleeeeaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh…**

**I had to re write this chapter three times.**

**The first draft of this was simply rushing into things too quickly. It included a plot point that's supposed to come waaayyyy later, and it didn't even include Pence or Roxas.**

**The second draft was really bad. Just a messy mashup of plot points I wanted to save for later, but ran out of ideas.**

**The third draft is what you just read. Personally, I really liked Pence from KH II, even though he was a minor character. Most fanfics don't have Pence, so I wanted to give him a big role in this story. Trust me, he might be one of the most important characters in this entire plot. Especially in the later chapters. Honestly, I'm just gonna try to make Pence a likeable and engaging character. I guess you could call that my challenge.**

**So, anyway, I had to write this thing three times, which is why it took so long to publish. Hope you enjoyed it, and don't forget to review, and follow this story if you want to know when I update. So for now, see ya.**

**~Breaking Barriers**


	3. A Lie

The truth will set you free.

There has never been a more apt phrase to describe this situation. All Kairi has to do is tell me the truth, and I'll gladly help her. But she's still dragging out this game of cat and mouse. It's only a matter of time until the mouse has no where left to run. Her footsteps start to approach, but I'm already prepared for her. Inside my bag, my hand is already grasping the English test we took yesterday. I'm really glad the teachers in this school are this punctual, or whatever word you'd use.

"Sora, gimme your test!" she orders. Pulling it out of my bag, I pass it to her over my shoulder.

"I don't even see why you bother anymore," I mutter under my breath, but a sharp bump from my chair's back leg tells me she heard. After a few seconds of deliberation, she tosses my paper back onto my desk with an audible groan.

"Ugh. Seriously? A ninety-nine? I'm pretty sure you're just cheating." I can't tell whether or not she's joking, not like I really care.

"Yeah, whatever." This is taking too long for my tastes. Time to raise the stakes. "So, you need to ask me anything else?" She immediately starts averting eye contact and takes a few steps back.

"N-No! Of course not." She tells the floor. She's clearly not going to confess on her own accord. It doesn't really matter though, because during the entirety of the last period, I was devising a plan. Kairi has been tutoring Roxas for about three to five days at least. Since his grades haven't improved, she must be doing something wrong. Most agreements like these only last for about a week before some alternate actions take place. Basically, she's almost out of time. Since it's Friday, she's only got today left, since failing students like Roxas have to take a special test, which takes place tomorrow, to see if they're even worth carrying around. It's a bit cruel, but effective. If Roxas fails that test, the councelor will have some questions for our dear redhead.

"Alright then. See you." With that farewell, I rose from my seat. Taking a look at Kairi herself, she was still avoiding eye contact. She's stubborn, I'll give her that. But it wouldn't last long. The instant I started walking away, she grabbed my wrist.

"U-Um… actually Sora… I… uh… there's… something really important… I have… to ask you…" She muttered out in between hesitant pauses. She's sounds embarrassed, angry, and depressed at the same time.

"What would that be?" As of this point, I'm just trying to make things hard for her. Never knew I was so mean.

She brushes a few hairs out of her frazzled face, "You see… there's a guy I have to tutor… and… I… um…"

"You're saying you're not smart enough?" I interrupt her nervous stuttering, which earned me another punch to the gut.

"No! Psh, you think you're better than me?" Yes. "No, I just think it'd be more helpful if I had… a guy's touch."

…

…

Yeah, I'm serious. That's her excuse.

"A guy's touch." I repeated, not buying her flimsy lie at all.

"Uh, yeah! I mean, he won't listen to me, since I'm a girl. So, I thought, maybe if there was a guy who's the same age, he'd learn better." Now that I think about it, that's probably the most nonsensical thing I'd ever heard of. Her logic can eat my ass. That makes no sense at all. In fact, it's the opposite. I assume any hormonal teenage guy would be happy to have an attractive girl go out of her way to tutor him every day.

Yeah, I called her attractive, because she is, I admit it.

"So, yeah. Now, you've gotta come with me." After that pathetic excuse, she started pulling me to her destination.

"What if I don't want to help you?" It's a rhetorical question. During my brainstorming session, I decided that I'd help Kairi with her Roxas problem. I don't really know why. I guess, maybe, if I help her out, she'd see me as… you know, a friend or something. I guess you could say that Pence inspired me.

"Well, I'm the class rep, so I'm assigning you as an assistant tutor as punishment for sleeping in class."

"I'm pretty sure you can't do that."

"Well, we're already here, so shut up." Well, that we were. In front of us was a door with _4D_ stenciled above the window. Clearly feeling good about how she finally recruited me, she pushes the door open to its fullest extent.

Now, I wasn't sure what I was expecting.

Despite knowing Roxas's name, age, and educational status, I didn't know what he looked like. As far as I knew, he could've looked like some kind of gang member, with tattoos and scars. Or maybe he could be some kind of junkie. All colors of the teenager spectrum could encompass Roxas's character.

Of course, I wasn't expecting to see not one, but two students sitting quietly in the middle of the room. The first one I see has silver hair at a respectable length. He looks pretty fit, but he's adopted a laidback position, chair tipped backwards with legs crossed on the desk. To the right of him sits another student who looks to be the same grade as Kairi and I. His spiked up blonde hair reminds me of my own, but the way it's neatly formed tells me he uses gel, while I just wake up and come to school with bed hair. Unlike his companion, the blonde one just looks bored, leaning his head against his arm. As Kairi and I walk in, the silver haired kid stands up.

"Kai, are you really trying to convince me that _this_ is Hikari?" He motions to me, but before I can say anything, she just nods.

"Yeah. He's Sora Hikari, the one I mentioned. Although I don't really know why you wanted me to bring him." I can think of a few reasons.

"Riku, I don't get it either. Why would _the_ Hikari go to a school like this?" The bored one quips. Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed that I've been here for two or three months, yet the rumors still haven't dispersed.

"You guys keep saying '_the_' Hikari, what's so special about his last name?" Wait, are you kidding me? She doesn't know about the famous Vanitas Hikari? The silver haired one, who I assume is named Riku, seems to share my curiousity.

"You don't know? He's the son of-mmph!" Before he can finish his sentence, I press my hand on his mouth, silencing him. The chance of finding someone who doesn't know about my family name is rare, and the chance that it's a girl is even rarer. I can't let this guy ruin it for me.

"They must know me from the entrance exam results." I quickly lie, casting an evil eye towards Riku. His eyes widen with realization and nods furiously. See, people have this misconception about the relatives of celebrities. If you get on our bad side, it's not like we're going to send armed men to your house. It's not like a famous actor has connections to the mafia. That's just dumb, but it a convenient intimidation tactic I can use, so I guess I have to thank whoever made up that stupid rumor in the first place.

"Y-Y-Yeah! That's right!" Riku stutters out while his companion simply rolls his eyes.

"Okay…" Kairi looks suspicious, but she drops it, "So, I guess I've got to introduce him to you guys. The idiot is Riku Takeba." Riku makes a small noise of annoyance at the insult, but Kairi ignores him and simply points to the other one, "This is Roxas Nomura." Ah, I finally get to see him face to face. Of course, once we make eye contact, I realize that he looks a lot like me. We both have spiky hair, we've both got blue eyes, and I can't shake the suspicion that he's thinking the same thing I am.

"Yeah, whatever." I can't get distracted. I need to know exactly why I'm here, "Why did you drag me here?" Kairi gives Riku a menacing glare before turning back to me.

"Well, you see…"

"_Argh!"_

"_Wh-What the hell, Kai? You almost gave me a heart attack!"_

"_Shut up Riku! I'm already in a bad mood and I don't need you making it worse with that dumb nickname!"_

"_What the heck's wrong with you, anyway? You shouldn't be tutoring when you're on your perio-"_

_**SMACK**_

"_Riku, I hate being friends with you. So, Kairi, why the red face?"_

"_Well, if you have to know, it's that stupid Hikari!"_

"_W-W-WAIT! DID YOU JUST SAY HIKARI?!"_

"_Yeah, I did! He freaking got a perfect on the history test! How is that even possible?!"_

"_I don't give a crap about your dumb test! Is he really one of the Hikari?"_

"_What do you mean? His name is Sora Hikari, I don't really know anything else."_

"_You know Riku, if this Sora guy beat the braniac over here, he's probably not legit. Why would someone like him care about grades?"_

"_What are you guys even talking about?! Is there something I'm missing?"_

"_God, Kai, you must be joking! Never mind, just… can you bring him in here?"_

"_Wha-? No way!"_

"_If you don't... then we're not gonna do this thing!"_

"_Riku, what the hell are you even saying?"_

"_Shut up man, I got this. If you don't bring him here by Friday, we'll fail the acceptance exam on purpose!"_

The problem with three people telling you the same story is that you're going to get three different perspectives no matter what. I didn't know whether Riku or Kairi's perspectives were authentic, but I ended up mostly paying attention to Roxas, since he seemed the least biased of them all. I had to take the things Roxas told me and add little details from the other two to create the most likely dialogue scenario. It's a bit confusing to understand, but at least I know what I'm dealing with. This conversation has actually enlightened me about their relationship.

First of all, Kairi, Roxas, and Riku have been friends for a while now. They probably met in their freshman year, or possibly earlier than that. That's the only explanation for why Kairi feels comfortable with harming Riku physically. It also explains why Riku has a sort of pet name for Kairi, which she responds to with extreme annoyance. This reaction makes me believe that Kairi has known Riku more than she's known Roxas. Steering away from the red head, the interactions between the two delinquents are also very invaluable to discovering what their relationship is.

Riku Takeba is cheery, easily excitable, gullible, and isn't afraid to go through with what he wants, no matter the consequences. Roxas, on the other hand, is pretty apathetic for the most part. He doesn't seem to care about his friend's safety as Kairi batters fresh bruises into his skull. He just sits there, watching and laughing. During their narration, I noticed that Roxas didn't really protest to Riku volunteering him into failing the test if I didn't show my face. This increases the likelihood that Roxas really doesn't care about Riku's plan. But whether or not he would stick to his friend's plans if they get too out of hand is still under question.

Encapsulated in this trinity of friendship; there's Kairi, the smart and violent one, Roxas, the generally laid back stoic of the group, and Riku, the obnoxious goofball who really doesn't have any boundaries.

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

**XxCOMPLICATEDxX**

"So, are we good for this test tomorrow?" Kairi asks them with a cheery I'm here, I guess they've been cooperating in her lessons once more. Roxas simply gives her a nonchalant "yeah", but Riku still seems skeptical.

"Kai… can you step out for a second?"

"Why?"

"I need to talk with… Sora…" She looks about as confused as I probably do, but she simply shrugs her shoulders and leaves. Once he hears the sound of the door shutting, he jumps out of his seat and runs up to me. "You. A-Are… you the real deal?"

"What are you talking about?" Number one strategy for dealing with people like the paparazzi: answer questions with questions.

"Come on, you know what I'm talking about! Are you really the son of the famous actor?" Damn, I was hoping I could dodge the question a bit longer.

"Am I the son of Vanitas Hikari? Well…" I pause for effect, looking at Riku, then at Roxas. Riku's eyes are glued to my face, expecting an answer, while Roxas looks like he's about to fall asleep any second. "I guess, ye-" Suddenly, the nonchalant "yeah" gets caught in my throat as a fat realization drops down.

Do I really have to tell them the truth?

If I say no, then I might be able to build a real friendship with these three.

Isn't that what I've been searching for my entire life?

Someone who will accept me for who I am?

Not who _he_ is?

…

I'm at a crossroads here.

If I lie about my identity, I'm basically saying that I wasn't able to get away from his grasp.

I'd basically be admitting that I'll never be able to be myself.

That I have to lie to make friends.

But on the other hand, it was rigged from the start.

I never had a say in who my father was.

It's not like I had any control in the matter.

Is conceding the fact that I can't beat something I could never control really admitting defeat?

…

All my life, I've lived as Sora Hikari, the genius.

But nobody ever saw that.

They saw Vanitas Hikari's son.

The son of a world famous actor.

I've lived my life honestly up to this point.

All I've earned is a life of animosity through false popularity.

Would one lie be able to fix everything?

If I lied and said no, my life would be flipped on its head.

I'd be Anti-Sora, for lack of a better term.

Morality versus human desire.

What the hell am I supposed to do?

…

Riku's still expecting an answer.

I feel like I've been arguing with myself for an hour, but I know it's only been two or three seconds.

I have to make my decision now.

If can finish the word that was caught in my throat, but at what cost will I speak the truth?

If I say no, what will my life be?

**Just** **a**** lie?**

Will I be Sora Hikari, the isolated son of a prestigious celebrity?

Or will I be Anti-Sora, false friend of few?

What did I say earlier?

The truth will set you free?

Does that really apply in here?

…

I'm out of time.

My eyes lock with his, as I give him my answer.

"_Yeah. I am."_

**And that is chapter three for Complicated. Technically the second official chapter, but I'd rather not get into semantics. **

**Honestly, I wanted to post this a lot earlier than I have. But at the same time, I wanted to make this the best it could be, since it's a major turning point for Sora. I also had to handle Riku and Roxas's characters. They will be important, especially Roxas. He might be one of the most important characters in this entire story. **

**Now that school has started once more, I'll probably be a bit slow on updating. Hope you enjoyed this.**

**~Breaking Barriers**


	4. Unaware

I may give off the impression that I was born a genius.

That's really only half true. The root of my genius comes from the gift of logistical analysis. That's basically a big term for "paying close attention." I'm being serious. My genius is not the reason I have good grades. I have good grades because educational standards are tipped heavily in the favor of students. No, I call myself a genius because I have something that everyone else should.

Common sense.

If someone is sweating and it's not hot, common sense dictates that the person must be feeling some sort of internal anxiety. Most commonly associated with worry or fear. If you understand what I'm saying and can implement it in real life, then you're in the minority. Most people are too stupid or dull to even comprehend dimensional analysis; especially teenagers. Yet, I can do it. In fact, I've been able to do it extraordinarily well ever since I was young. I've become what I am today because I've been making sure I stay sharp through reading and just paying attention. My academic prowess is just a side effect of this. I can ace tests because I pay attention and retain it for as long as I want.

Of course, my genius is still bound by the limitations of being a sixteen year old. I mean, I'm not perfect. I'm not above forgetting prior appointments.

You know, like I did today.

"Uh… sorry?" Xion simply gives me a look of annoyance.

We're walking home from school together, like her text requested. Since Kairi dragged me into her nonsense, I forgot about my own sister.

"I still can't believe you forgot," Xion punches me in the shoulder, "what took you so long?"

That's a loaded question. What am I supposed to say? A girl I barely know made me tutor two of her friends against my will? That's the truth, but I highly doubt she'll believe me.

"Um… studying?" It's the first thing that pops into my head.

"Hm… so is that what they call it these days…" she murmurs suspiciously.

"Pardon?" Does she know something I don't?

"Oh, I'm just talking about why I wanted to walk with you…" she pauses, then gives me an all-knowing smirk, "so Sora, who's the girl?"

Crap.

"What girl?" Just keep playing dumb. Maybe she's bluffing.

"Does red hair ring a bell?" God. Damnit.

"Should it?" I'm not ready to give up yet, although I think Xion might be getting the wrong idea at this point.

"Well, I was just wondering. A little birdie told me that a girl with red hair was pulling you into a classroom… an _empty_ classroom!" Xion lets out a sharp whistle, "So you're finally getting some Sora! Congrats!" This is what I feared. Xion's gotten the entirely wrong idea. A common misunderstanding, or maybe not so common. Either way, this is going to be hard to fix. It might even be impossible to undo. Xion is a master of teasing and harassing.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was tutoring her two delinquent friends?"

"Um… what? Where did that come from?"

"Yeah… never mind."

"Aw, c'mon Sora! Don't hide anything from your sister, tell me her name!"

"No thanks."

"C'mon, please?"

"No."

"Hmph, well if that's how you're gonna be," she gives me another smirk, "but remember, the truth will come out, whether you want it to or not!"

"Yeah, okay."

"C'mon, Sora!"

**XxCOMPLICATEDxX**

I hate Saturdays.

Although, I don't really know why. Saturday is probably the most eventful day in the week for me. My part time job is this Saturday, but I doubt it's the reason for my displeasure. I mean, the work isn't very tiring, nor is it very demanding. On normal circumstances, I have the entire house to myself during Saturday afternoons. My dad is always on set during the weekends and Xion often has a large congregation to hang out with. You'd think that I like this day, but I really don't.

It might be because I resent not having anywhere to be on Saturday. I've never gone to the mall or the arcade with friends before, which is a normal even on Saturdays for high schoolers like me. Perhaps my mind is demonizing the day simply because I can't appreciate it. Maybe I'm jealous of seeing my sister leave and come back with a big grin on her face, carrying the things she's acquired over the busy day. Either way, I can't keep debating this any longer. I said this earlier, I have a job to get to. After changing into some casual clothes, I descend the staircase to see Xion reclined on the couch with the television turned on.

"Xion, do you want me to make breakfast?" I startle her with my question, but she quickly nods her head. I couldn't really tell which direction she was nodding, probably due to her sleep-addled state, so I assume she wants some. See, I'm kinda the chef in this house. When my father takes responsibility for us, he just orders take out. I've got no problem with pizza or noodles, but this almost never happens. He's never home except for the rare exceptions, so Xion and I could get away with a lot of stupid stuff if we wanted to.

Which I obviously don't do.

You need friends to do stupid stuff.

You would think that the eldest sister would be able to cook, but you'd be wrong. Xion would also call you sexist. She's tried cooking before, but… we promised never to speak of that day ever again. I refer to it as Mystery Food X. The day the world grew dark for the sad soul who consumed that monstrosity. I shudder at the mere thought.

So that left me with the task of learning basic cooking. Eggs, fried rice, and steak are the foods I excel at. It's not very hard to understand and follow a recipe, so I don't get why Xion is so bad at it.

I crack open an egg and watch it sizzle on the pan. It's a bit therapeutic, in a way. It's just a waiting game until I flip it over. It's only when I begin cracking the second egg that Xion speaks up.

"Soooooraaaaa…" she yawns my name, "when are you… coming back home?"

"Uh… three o'clock?" I really don't know, my schedule is pretty sporadic due to my "manager". "Why?" Xion rubs the sleep out of her eyes and stretches.

"Because dad said that he was going on a trip with one of his college buddies or something, so his friend's kids are gonna stay here."

"You're not gonna be here?"

"No, I will."

"Then why do you need me?"

"Just cos'." That makes no sense.

I simply nod in response and turn back to my cooking. The first egg is already done, but the second and third egg that I opened during our conversation have been burned on one side.

How tragic.

Well, it's not like I was gonna eat breakfast anyway. These are all for Xion. She's going to need the energy since she'll be taking care of those kids on her own. After all, if they can't be trusted to be home alone for a few days, then they're probably in elementary school. Something else you should probably know about me.

I don't do well with kids.

**XxCOMPLICATEDxX**

I work at a convenience store.

…

Yeah, okay. Laugh it up.

…

…

No, no, I can wait.

…

Done? Okay, onto the explanation.

I work at a convenience store because it's inconspicuous. It's so unabashedly ordinary that no one would suspect a Hikari to work there. I also have connections with the owner of the store, so it was easy for me to get a job without any real skills. But then again, it is just a convenience store. It probably wouldn't be that hard. Also, I wouldn't really use the term "manager." The only manager-like thing he's done is hire me. Other than that he just works the cash register and tells me what to do. Not really that bad of a job for minimum wage. Also, the work reflects the "manager", so I never have to do anything particularly strenuous. I can be as laid back as he is, which is pretty laid back in my opinion.

"Yo, Sora! Looks like you made it!" He shouts from the front door. His loud voice and blazing red hair help me distinguish his identity.

"Sorry I'm late."

"No prob, man. Not like I was dying to open this place." he gives me a few pats on the back, "Just give me an excuse that I can put in the books."

"I was making my sister breakfast and she kept hassling me." I answer truthfully.

"X-Xion? W-Well, I mean, if you were helping h-her then… it would've been f-fine to be… late…" I give him a weird look, "I mean… uh…" he starts rubbing his face.

"Axel…" He grins sheepishly.

"Yeah, I get it. Professional attitude during work hours." he sighs dejectedly, "Welp, your uniform is in the break room where it always is." With that, he walks back to his station and starts playing with his phone.

Sigh.

Axel Rayman.

What an odyssey.

He's rash, flirtatious, and an all-around joker; but he often acts sage-like around me. I don't know why – he's only three years older than me. But as you can tell, he's got a crush on Xion. That's how I know him. It originated at our old school. He was a senior when I first entered high school. It was at a time where hitting on my sister proved ineffectual for him. Once he found out that I was her brother and that I was generally alone, he was on me like a vulture. He was constantly following me and trying to get on my good side, just to gain some sort of "leverage" or "advantage". I thought he was just another fan that was trying to suck up to the Hikari name, but I later learned the most perplexing thing about this whole situation.

Axel didn't know the importance of our surnames.

He was pursuing Xion out of genuine interest rather than making ties.

And that was all I needed.

In the commercial world, everyone is used to gain popularity. It's all about title. Many young men have been presented to my sister in the attempt to gain ties to his name. It's pathetic, isn't it? But that's commercialism for you, everything is based on face value. Everyone wants to boost their popularity and building relationships is one of the most efficient ways. And while some of those guys might have been genuinely good boyfriends, that niggling thought in the back of my head is what kept on disturbing me whenever I saw a boy talk to her.

He doesn't like her.

He doesn't care.

Once Axel graduated from high school and took up the store, there was a period where he grew obsessed and starting stalking us. I had to track him down and set him straight before he did anything too extreme. We didn't hear from him again for a year until we changed schools. I was looking for an inconspicuous part time job, found the convenience store, and Axel recognized me in an instant. I told him I was looking for a job and he hired me right there on the spot, and that's how I got this job.

Then again, "job" is probably not the right word. All I do is move the occasional stock shipments into their corresponding sections in the store. Nothing too demanding. It's just an opportunity to think and get some easy munny. Plus, Axel is probably the best "manager" a teenager could ask for.

This work also gives me an opportunity to work out the things I've been mulling over. For example, I have to figure out why Xion was lying to me.

Yesterday, she told me why she wanted to walk home together. She wanted to "confirm" what I was doing with Kairi, although I still think she has the wrong idea. This theory holds water, but there's one glaring flaw.

She texted me during lunch.

I was pulled aside during last period.

Unless she's a secret time traveler, she was simply deflecting the conversation. There was another purpose for her request, one that she's unwilling to explain. She wasn't ready to speak up, so she just changed the subject. Although I don't know what she wanted to say or ask, I can be sure that she'll tell me sooner or later. There are more pressing issues to deal with.

Like the ramifications of making my sister, who probably has a lot of seniors work to do, babysit a few kids. Once again, since this "friend" can't trust his kids to be home alone, they must be quite young. And this bears repeating, I'm bad with kids.

Well, now that that's taken care of, I can figure out what I'm supposed to do about that perplexing trinity.

Roxas Nomura.

Riku Takeba.

Kairi Uchida.

To figure that out, I have to ask myself another question.

Do I even want friends like those three? Or more to the point, do I even want friends at all?

It's true, I've lived in general animosity for most of my life, but perhaps that's worked in my favor. People with a very large social circle tend to have declining grades. Xion with her straight C's, is a good example. I've seen things on the internet that tout the phrase, "The less friends I have, the less bullshit I have to deal with", but I have to discern the truth in this statement. Logically, this makes sense. If you isolate yourself, the only problems you have to deal with are your own. Nobody to help, nobody to care about, nobody to depend on. As a genius, I don't like having to depend on others for success.

Even though this statement makes logical sense, some people would argue that the fun experiences and memories are worth it. Yeah, pulling out your wisdom teeth is good for you, but it still hurts regardless. I suppose you can't have something good without its fair share of negative consequences.

Maybe my problem is that I'm not in an ideal mindset.

Some decisions in life can't be dissected rationally or logically. I guess this is one of them. But now that I think about it, this isn't a choice I have control over. At this point, the three of them are probably sure of my identity, so it's up to them to pursue the goals they want. All I can do is wait for their move.

But I must confess, life would probably be less predictable with them around.

**XxCOMPLICATEDxX**

Hm…

Remember those ramifications I was talking about?

_From Xion Hikari_

_where r u? theyre here_

Hrm…

My stomach churns with guilt and regret coupled with my lack of breakfast.

I choose to ignore the text and continue with my work.

…

…

…

…

_Calling… you hear me calling…_

Oh come on…

_Calling… you hear me calling…_

That's my ringtone. After hearing the song in a popular soundtrack, I felt the need to make it my ringtone. Unfortunately, nobody really gets the joke.

I silence my phone and keep working, ignoring the guilt that was settling into my chest.

As I bring a particularly heavy box of instant noodles into the store, Axel's phone starts blasting some rock music. After looking at the caller, he gives me a confused and startled look. I don't know why, but he answers the phone and starts stammering nervously into it. I continue moving foodstuffs to their appropriate spaces, but Axel calls me over.

"Yo, Sora. C'mere for a second." I carefully drop the container of soda on the ground. As I walk to the cash register, I gauge his expression. Stern, a bit confused, but mostly reprimanding.

"Um… what?" I ask cautiously.

"Your sister just called me," Axel points to his phone, "and said to let you off work. Something about your friends from school visiting. You know anything about that?"

"Uh… kinda?" Friends? From my school? I may have misjudged my assumption.

"Yet, you decided to come to work despite how your sister told you to stay at home."

"Uh… yes?" This is looking worse and worse for me. He gives me a pat on the shoulder.

"I think you know what to do."

Before I know it, I'm walking the route back to my house.

I don't even know anymore.

First of all, since when does Axel care about my outside responsibilities?

Well, it was Xion's request, so I think I just answered my own question.

Also, friends? From my school?

I don't have any friends from school.

That should be self evident.

There's something I'm missing here.

What's going on?

After an uneventful five minute walk, I arrive at my house. I walk briskly up the front steps and start fishing my keys out. After I realize I left them on the rack, I test the doorknob to discover that it was unlocked to begin with.

"Xion, you've gotta learn to look the door. I mean, I think I've told you a hundred times." I yell as I enter the house. At the sound of my voice, three girls turn to me from the couch. Xion and two girls; one with red hair and one with blonde hair. My eyes are automatically drawn to the redhead. Her eyes grow wide, mirroring my own.

I know her.

"Yeah, and I've told you a million times, don't forget your keys!" Xion passes me my keys, only for them to graze my shoulder and fall to the ground.

I know her all too well.

"Well, I suppose now I should introduce you guys." Xion points to the blonde, "This is Namin_é…" _then she points to the redhead.

_"…and this is Kairi, her sister."_

**So, lots of things to talk about.**

**First of all, some of you in my incredibly small "fanbase" may have realized that I deleted a story called "Controlled Experiment". This was because that story and Complicated were very similar, and I didn't feel like making two of the same kind of story. Also, I feel that this story has more potential.**

**The reason it took so long to update was because of general apathy, SAT tests, and the fact that I had to remake this chapter multiple times. Well, hope you enjoy this chapter. Check out my new story, "Changing the Status Quo". I've only got the first chapter out, but I'm gonna remake it with a different narrative style.**

**See you next time.**

**~Breaking Barriers**


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